7 Seagull town
Sasha focused on seeing what the dragon was doing, and what the moth was seeing at the same time, while keeping a count with her finger.
It was extremely hard, and caused her a great amount of headache, but Sasha did not give up.
This is the first piece of power she has.
If only she had this ability, she would have avoided half the disasters that befell her. She read the letter Sera wrote.
Dear Father,
By now, you must have heard I left for Windcastle, and my return is far too late. You must be anxious to hear the news about me.
Do not fear, I am in good health, and I hope you are the same.
Prince Arthur and I reached Windcastle safely despite the inclement weather. We met with Princess Sasha. She was utterly different from rumors.
Oh! Father. The rumors do not do justice to her beauty, worse yet, they completely ignore her sharp mind. We heard the description of a wolf cub, only to meet a wolf. Children grow up.
Princess Sasha has grown into a fine woman, she is the most beautiful and brave woman I have ever seen. She has subdued ( or worse, tamed ) the dragon Icarus within a moment. It came as a surprise to all of us.
Now, the dragon goes by the name Moon Snow, and I hear he has taken a great liking to whales.
No matter how many warnings one uses, outsiders underestimate the power of the sun in the desert. I fear we fell into the same trap with winter in Winterland. This is not a fight our armies could fight.
I believe the Fire empire is making a similar mistake with the Winterchild family. They were never our enemies, despite the ambiguous bad blood between us.
Our fight is with Gold land. It is their queen who killed our uncle. We have a vendetta against the evil queen that is still ruling hundred kingdoms under the name of her husband, but not the Winterland.
Princess Sasha has extended her hospitality to me indefinitely, and I have accepted graciously. I hope I could help you in smoothing out our relations with the Fire empire.
Alas! Winter is no time for long trips on the sea.
Please take care of your health, Father.
Your loyal and loving daughter,
Princess Sera Summer.
Sasha was satisfied with the letter.
She exited out of the moth, and this time, tried something a little far off.
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A snow shrike enroute to the Windcastle.
The contingent whom they have thrown out from the castle is camping in the wild.
Prince Arthur kicked at the rocks in the route.
"My prince. Please! It's dangerous to do such a thing in the mountains. Any rock could turn into an avalanche." one of the men with red on his forehead advised him.
"Shut up! I did not give you permission to speak." Prince Arthur snarled at his servant.
The next moment, the rock he kicked rolled down where they were, and turned into a giant snowball, causing a snow slide all over.
The party was swept down the mountain path in the resulting snow drift.
The servant looked subtly smug, and the rest of the men in their party glared at Arthur.
They are fucking cold, and their supplies are limited.
The first village they tried to shop at threw stones at them till they were bleeding and running for their lives.
Have you ever been injured in the cold?
The damned injuries, even a small scrape on the skin, hurt like thousand pin pricks, and they heal ever so slowly.
Now, the arrogant fire prince is causing one more accident, delaying their already long journey by causing needless accidents.
Even the most soft and even tempered knight among the party is burning with anger.
"Awwwwwwwoooooooooooooo!" The howls came.
The men shrank into the snow in fear.
In winter, wolves are far too brave.
They have no compunction going for a man with a sword, and worse yet, they went for their horses.
The first time, they were able to make this journey, because of their extremely capable captain.
However, now, they have to yield their supplies, tent space, and a thousand other little things just to provide luxury to prince Arthur Drakon.
The damned red mark on their foreheads sucked all the warmth from their bodies.
No matter how they hugged each other, covered with furs, the cold seeped in.
They had enough supplies when they started, but after a wolf attack and current accident, their supplies have reduced once again.
Sasha stopped watching their journey when the maid called her.
The court is as lively as ever.
Now, the lords who have come to swear loyalty stopped, and yet two more pockets of resistance remained.
One is the junction town, the other one is the seagull town.
The former is the place where roads from kingdom of rivers, kingdom of mountains and Winterland meet.
All supplies to and from Winterland flow through junction town.
Seagull town is held by the Rushing's, who were former lords of wind castle.
The Rushing family in the seagull town only had the name. They were separated from the Rushing's who ruled the Windcastle for many generations. There were nearer blood related claimants in other noble families.
Rushing's of the Seagull Town made their fortune from the trade, so not many of the nobles supported their claim to the throne of the Kingdom of mountains.
It sounds very much like bigotry against merchants, but it's more of bigotry against the Rushing family of Seagull Town, which acted like loan sharks to its own populace.
Putting the Mountain kingdom in the hands of such a family is impossible.
Given Sasha is a girl, and she was only the spouse of the last heir to the Rushing, they were using a wait-her-out strategy, where Sasha and her enemies fight it out.
After the fight is over, the Rushing's could rush in, claiming the throne.
If they swear loyalty to Sasha Winterchild as the regent of the kingdom of mountains, then they acknowledge any children of hers to be heirs to the kingdom of mountains.
However, if Sasha or her children die in a time when they still haven't acknowledged her as the ruler of the kingdom, they will have a legitimate claim to the throne, by the virtue of being the last of Rushing's.
As they stay neutral, and pay taxes, it's not a fight worth picking, if she were fighting it with only men.
However, now she has a dragon.
She plans to re-conquer the Winterland, for that to happen seamlessly, no traitors must exist in the kingdom of mountains.
It must be hers thoroughly.
Sasha got on her dragon, with three of her best knights.
Time to pay Rushing's a visit.
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Sera descended right in front of the mansion of Rushing's, along with her contingent of twelve knights.
They announced their name, but refused to enter the castle.
The Rushing's were so scared, Lord Rushing ran out along with his family, each of their clothes in disarray.
"Master Rushing! Well met. It seems you are in quite good health, yet could not spare a journey to swear your oaths to your liege."
"My.. my.. Myy Lady!" Master Rushing stuttered.
After all, it is one thing to hear that someone has a dragon, and it is entirely another to see a beast that could catch killer whales for breakfast standing right in front of his castle.
Master Rushing trembled like a leaf in the wind.
"Pl..plle..Please Enter the castle. My castle has every hospitality available ready to serve you. " he rushed to assure her.
"Ah! A pity, Master Rushing. We are on a busy schedule, we would prefer to complete the matter we are here for first." Sasha answered.
"Head to the town square. Master Rushing is to swear his oaths." Sasha ordered the knights around her .
Two of them walked over to Rushing, whose cheeks were shaking like grain bags on a horse's saddle.
Soon, their knights were on the market square along with the lord.
Surprisingly, the lord of seagull town is not unpopular.
In front of all the townspeople, lord Rushing kneeled, and repeated words of oath to the king.
"I, Walter Rushing, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His majesty King Raul Winterchild, king of Winterland, and her grace Sasha Winterchild, countess of mountains, Their heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God. "
"I accept. Rise, my subject! Let it be known you are under my protection and purveyance and practicing law of Winterland. So mote be." Sasha answered.
As the ceremony finished, Sasha cast a glance at Lord Rushing. His eyes flashed but for a moment, but that moment was enough for Sasha.
This is a future thorn.
Men often ignore the amount of damage those who do not use swords cause.
Since Lord Rushing has decided to be her enemy, she may as well teach him the folly of his thoughts.
"Lady Rushing, young Wayne, and .." Sasha paused to smile coldly at Lord Rushing, who's looking like a deer caught in headlights.
"Blacksmith Andy Hill will accompany us to the Windcastle as our guests." She finished.
The fight in master Rushing's eyes died.
"My lady, please! Please! Not Andy!" he fell down on his knees and begged.
"Master Rushing. I am not a cruel woman. Their well being depends entirely on yourself. Please! Do not disappoint me." She said coldly, before gesturing to her guards.
